2 TD Hyatt leads #3 Tennessee over #19 Kentucky 44-6 | WGN 720 Radio

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jalyn Hyatt caught five passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 3 Tennessee to a 44-6 victory over No. 19 Kentucky on Saturday night.

Hyatt tied the school record for most touchdowns in a season with 14, leading the Volunteers (8-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) to face No. 1 Georgia next Saturday. Tennessee is off to its best start since winning the 1998 national championship.

The Wildcats (5-3, 2-3) struggled in a border rivalry. Will Lewis, expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft, had limited success, though he was intercepted three times.

The Kentucky forward was just 1 of 6 on third down conversions in the first half and finished 2 of 13. Lewis had 16 carries for 98 yards.

Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker completed 19 of 25 passes for 245 yards and three scores. Hooker also ran for TD.

The Vols led 27-6 at halftime. Hyatt had three receptions for 91 yards, two of them for touchdowns.

FACTS AND STATISTICS

Tennessee S Jaylen McCollough (aggravated arrest) and WR Cedric Tillman (high ankle sprain) both returned to action after missing multiple games. McCollough’s attorney filed a motion claiming self-defense. … Hooker’s 55-yard scoring pass to Hyatt early in the game was his 20th straight TD game, breaking his own school record. … Each team missed a PAT in the first half — Kentucky’s Matt Ruffalo had a punt blocked and Tennessee’s Chase McGrath punted right after a 10-yard penalty. … Vols S Daneyka Slaughter had his first career interception in the red zone. 48 yards later, Lewis had a life-saving TD catch. He made his second pick in the third quarter. … The Wildcats’ 11-game streak of holding opponents to 24 points or less came to an end. … Kentucky, which ranks 115th in the NCAA in sacks, gave up four, including two on the first drive of the second half. … Wildcat LB DeAndre Square (ankle) injured early, returned but missed entire second half. … Tennessee’s 395 points in eight games are tied for third most in SEC history. … Scored 30+ points in 11 consecutive games, a Tennessee school record.

FOR TAKE AWAY

Kentucky: The Wildcats’ defense couldn’t slow down the Tennessee offense. Besides Georgia, Kentucky has three very winnable games left on its schedule.

Tennessee: After beating Alabama a couple of weeks ago, the Vols had little left to prove. Despite this, they showed that they are ready for a showdown with Georgia.

FURTHER

Kentucky: The Wildcats are on the road at Missouri next Saturday before finishing the season at home against Vanderbilt, Georgia and Louisville.

Tennessee: The Vols will have a great opportunity next Saturday when they travel to Athens to take on top-ranked Georgia, the defending national champions.

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